Pupil steering: flexure guidance systems

Abstract

A flexure guidance system may be provided for controlling movement of an optical subassembly and/or a connected combiner lens. For instance, the flexure guidance system may include a distal end piece, a proximal end piece, and multiple wire flexures that link the distal end piece to the proximal end piece. The linking wire flexures may be spaced to form an interior cavity between the distal end piece and the proximal end piece. This interior cavity may house various electronic components. One or more actuators in the system may move the electronic components according to input signals along different axes of movement provided by the wire flexures. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

I claim: 
     
       1. A wearable device comprising:
 a processor; 
 a support structure; and 
 an optical assembly comprising:
 a distal end piece connected to a combiner lens; 
 a proximal end piece connected to the support structure; 
 a plurality of wire flexures that link the distal end piece to the proximal end piece; and 
 one or more actuators configured to move the distal end piece and combiner lens; 
 wherein the processor identifies one or more eye movements of a user, and 
 wherein the one or more actuators move the combiner lens relative to the support structure, according to the one or more eye movements, along one or more axes of movement provided by the plurality of wire flexures. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor generates one or more input signals for the actuators to control movement of the actuators based on the user's eye movements. 
     
     
       3. The wearable device of  claim 2 , wherein the actuators move the optical assembly and the connected combiner lens according to one or more input signals. 
     
     
       4. The wearable device of  claim 2 , wherein the actuators are configured to bend in a specified direction according to the input signals, the amount of bend in the actuators being specified by the input signals. 
     
     
       5. The wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to identify one or more eye movement patterns of the user by analyzing the user's eye movements over a specified time period. 
     
     
       6. The wearable device of  claim 5 , wherein the actuators are proactively actuated in a manner that is specific to each user according to that user's identified eye movement patterns. 
     
     
       7. The wearable device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor adapts the proactive movements of the actuators to each user over time. 
     
     
       8. The wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wire flexures that link the distal end piece to the proximal end piece are spaced to form an interior cavity between the distal end piece and the proximal end piece. 
     
     
       9. The wearable device of  claim 8 , wherein the interior cavity between the distal end piece and the proximal end piece houses one or more electronic components. 
     
     
       10. The wearable device of  claim 9 , wherein the electronic components comprise an optical subassembly. 
     
     
       11. The wearable device of  claim 10 , wherein the optical subassembly comprises at least one of:
 a laser; 
 a waveguide; or 
 a spatial light modulator. 
 
     
     
       12. An electronic device comprising:
 a processor; 
 a support structure; and 
 an optical assembly comprising:
 a distal end piece connected to a combiner lens; 
 a proximal end piece connected to the support structure; 
 a plurality of wire flexures that link the distal end piece to the proximal end piece; and 
 one or more actuators configured to move the distal end piece and combiner lens; 
 
 wherein the processor identifies one or more eye movements of a user, and 
 wherein the one or more actuators move the combiner lens relative to the support structure, according to the one or more eye movements, along one or more axes of movement provided by the plurality of wire flexures. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 12 , wherein the optical assembly allows movement of the distal end piece in the x and y directions relative to the proximal end piece, while substantially preventing movement of the distal end piece in the z direction. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 12 , further comprising one or more components affixed to the support structure that compensate for movement of the wire flexure or the distal end piece in the z direction. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 12 , further comprising one or more piezoelectric strain sensors that are configured to monitor for flexure of the plurality of wire flexures. 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more actuators are configured to bend in a specified direction according to input signals from the processor. 
     
     
       17. The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the amount of bend in the actuators is specified by the input signals. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein the input signals are based on the identified eye movements of the user. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein subsequent eye or head movements of the user are implemented by the processor as feedback to refine and continually update the input signals sent to the actuators. 
     
     
       20. A system comprising:
 a processor; 
 a support structure; and 
 an optical assembly comprising:
 a distal end piece connected to a combiner lens; 
 a proximal end piece connected to the support structure; 
 a plurality of wire flexures that link the distal end piece to the proximal end piece; and 
 one or more actuators configured to move the distal end piece and combiner lens; 
 wherein the processor identifies one or more eye movements of a user, and 
 wherein the one or more actuators move the combiner lens relative to the support structure, according to the one or more eye movements, along one or more axes of movement provided by the plurality of wire flexures.